I was very concerned about writing this post, because I don’t like to use Facebook as a venue to rant; in all areas of my life I prefer to avoid conflict; and to be quite honest, I am fearful of offending the people I love who share different views than my own. I recently attended the talk of Dr. Toni Ramirez where she discussed the unequal working conditions and wages of farm workers. She empowered us to speak up, because silence is a part of the problem. As a physician in a community health center that predominantly serves men and women of color and people imprisoned by poverty, it is my duty to break the silence and to advocate.
All live matters. Duh. But, this was never an only Black Lives Matter movement or Black Lives Matter more. By saying all lives matter, you choose not to be a part of this movement. You choose not to recognize the injustices that black people suffer. You let ignorance prevail. You are taking a step beyond silence and actively antagonizing efforts to promote social justice. And quite frankly you contribute to the oppression.
We are screaming from the rooftops that Black Lives Matter, because clearly the disproportionate rates at which they are killed is a reminder that consciously or unconsciously, interactions between police and black people end differently. We are shouting that Black Lives Matter, because if it was so apparent they are collectively included in ALL Lives matter, they simply would not be killed more.
I am not saying that police officers are only violent against black people. I am not saying that all police officers are bad. I am not saying that police do not risk their lives to protect our communities. I am definitely not saying that the lives of police officer do not matter. I AM saying that I’ve reviewed the evidence, black people die proportionally more at the hands of police officers than white. Past records indicate this is true. Current events that are unfolding before our eyes, indicate this is true. And if we don’t accept the facts that lie before us, black people will CONTINUE to die more than white people. If we don’t march forward with the Black Lives Matter movement, we are repeating the mistakes of the racist generations that precede us.
Black Lives Matter is advocacy, education and a plea for change. If you are on the “all lives matter” train, you are actively impeding progress and perpetuating the fear and hate that leads to the death of black people at a higher rate. You are an enemy against equity and justice.
Of course, all lives matter. But white people, this is NOT about you. A white mother does not share the same anxieties as a black mother sending her black child to school everyday. When you're pulled over for a traffic violation, you do not have the heightened fear that this event may result in your death. As a white man, you’ve never considered announcing that you are reaching for your wallet in your back pocket, so why do black men not also get the benefit of the doubt. You exist differently.
This is not an attack on police, because guess what black people also suffer injustices in courtrooms, prisons, and schools. They still have unequal opportunities to housing, jobs and wages. And importantly for me and my colleagues, black people suffer inconceivable disparities at the hands of the healthcare system. Shame on all of us.
